Dog rescued from Uxbridge house fire

UXBRIDGE 
Firefighters rescued a dog named Mia from a three-alarm fire in a single-family house at 24 Stanphyl Road today.

But more than a dozen other animals were unaccounted for, resident Jason Johnson told reporters.

“The residents of the house had come home and gave us an indication of where the animals may be,” Fire Chief William T. Kessler said. “From the ladder, (firefighters) were able to see a dog on the second floor, and firefighters went in and were able to make their way in and bring that dog out.”

As the dog emerged from the blaze, Mr. Johnson and his girlfriend, Ashley Johnson, sprinted to the animal and hugged it.

Mr. Johnson said a cat also made its way out of the blaze, but there were many other animals, “probably nine cats, four dogs including Mia, and a bird.”

No one was home at the time of the fire. Mr. Johnson said he was returning from Warwick, R.I. He said he had been living in the house for about a year and a half, after moving here from Cranston.

The house appeared to be destroyed.

The dog was shivering and appeared to have a cut on a front paw. Mr. Johnson said he could not answer any more questions because he had to get Mia to a veterinarian.

The fire chief said emergency dispatchers got a call about smoke in the area at 1:44 p.m., and four minutes later a caller reported a structure fire with the location.

The first fire engine arrived at 1:56.

The blaze was under control in about 35 minutes, said Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Dion.

The cause of the fire was under investigation, with personnel from the state fire marshal's office en route, the chief said.

Firefighters from 10 to 12 towns assisted. Because the fire was outside the water district, many tankers were required, the chief said.

“We have an engine set at the (Uxbridge) Rod and Gun Club on West Street, where they have a pond,” Chief Kessler said. “That's where we're filling the tankers.”

The chief said he believed the family living in the house provided a home for stray animals.

“It was certainly a good thing to see that we were able to save at least one animal for them,” he said. “As you saw, the family was very happy.”

Published assessors' records say the eight-room, two-story house was built in 1998.